Conventional clamp methods and systems for attaching an undercounter sink to the underside of a counter, especially when the counter is made of granite or another hard surface, are time consuming and of ten subject to failure due to human error. In one conventional system, a sink is attached a counter using clips, typically supplied with the sink, that require drilling into the hard surface of the counter with an oversize diamond drill, inserting a threaded insert into the hole drilled therein utilizing a two-part epoxy, and then attaching the sink to the threaded insert with a screw and a clip to clamp the sink into place. This conventional system is time-consuming to install, and overtightening of the screw may cause the insert to pull out of the counter, while attaching the screw and the clip in the confined space under the counter is often difficult.
Another conventional system requires wider undercutting a slot into the hard material of the countertop and then inserting a nut fastener into the slot with the head received and retained above the slot and the shaft extending downwardly through the slot. The sink is fit over the fastener from below, and then a clip and nut are required to clamp the sink to the countertop by the fastener. This system can create a strong clamping of the sink, but is also believed to be difficult and time consuming to implement.
In another conventional system, special studs are typically glued to the underside of the countertop using a two-part epoxy, and the sink is held to the counter by tightening a clip and nut to the studs similar to the systems described above. In this system, the sink is directly attached to the counter only by gluing means, which is believed to create reliability problems. Implementation of this system is also believed to be difficult to perform in confined spaces, such as when the countertop is attached to the counter prior to installation of the sink.
Another known method is to build a wooden cradle under the countertop for the sink to rest upon. In addition to being labor intensive, this method typically renders the sink irremovable from the countertop.
A similar conventional method is to hang the sink on a wire sling attached to the base of the counter cabinet. This method, however, is also very time-consuming to implement, and difficult to standardize among sinks and cabinets of varying size.
A still further method of attaching a sink to a granite or stone countertop is believed to require first cutting slots into the underside of the countertop to accept “L” shaped spring clips. Such spring clips, however, usually require at least two pieces, and must be hammered into place, which is very difficult in the confined space under the sink. This method is costly, and moreover, the required hammering action risks damaging the sink and countertop material. Additionally, extreme care must be taken when cutting the slots, which must be perpendicular to the surface of the countertop, or the countertop could be ruined. Yet another method and direction is shown in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2012/0311780 which shows the drilling of holes into the underside of the countertop. Drilling holes into the countertop is believed to be slow in many circumstances.
In addition, some undercounter sink attachment methods involve securing a mounting support in place by tightening a screw against the underside of a sink flange. In these methods, rotating contact of the screw end face may frictionally transmit a torque to the sink flange, causing the sink to rotate or otherwise shift out of a desired mounting position.